If you haven’t bought a cocktail book in a while, then we’ve got a few titles that are well worth a look this month.
From Forbidden to the Freezer Door, these books will take you to worlds as varied as 19th-century whiskey making and 1930s film to the beginning of a Vodka business and the pantries of famous bartenders.
So pull up a comfy chair and have a shaker and barspoon on hand, as we explore some recently-published and some soon-to-be-published books that deserve to be part of your cocktail library.
Forbidden Cocktails: Libations Inspired by the World of Pre-Code Hollywood
Well-known cocktail writer André Darlington takes us on a magical journey into the “forbidden” fun of Pre-Code Hollywood films and the cocktails they could have been or probably were drinking. Whether you are a bartender or at-home entertainer who adores Prohibition-era cocktails, Forbidden Cocktails this book looks at stars and stories of the “forbidden” time in moviemaking before strict censorship was enforced. The movies reflected a raucous freedom that would be unseen again for decades. With 50 film-and-drink pairings and packaged handsomely with more than 100 full-colour and black-and-white photos throughout, this is a practical and stunning homage to a singularly exuberant and evocative era.
Publication date – May 7th 2024 – Get the book here
The Bartender’s Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar
Bartender extraordinaire Jim Meehan (Gramercy Tavern, The Pegu Club, and PDT, as well as the James Beard Award-winning author of Meehan’s Bartender Manual) has penned this advanced book looking at the zero-proof components of cocktails that make or break the integrity of a drink. With voyages into the pantries of some of the world’s most revered bartenders, baristas, importers, and chefs, the book explores a range of ingredients—sugars, spices, dairy, grains and nuts, fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs, coffee, tea, soda and mineral water, and ferments. In creating this book, Meehan has partnered with artist and designer Bart Sasso of Sasso & Co. and Atlanta’s beloved Ticonderoga Club, award-winning author and journalist Emma Janzen, and renowned photographer AJ Meeker.
Publication date – June 11th 2024 – Get the book here
Spirit in a Bottle: Tales and Drinks from Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Everyone knows that the best way to tell a good story is over a good drink—Tito’s Handmade Vodka brings them together, pairing tales and adventures with damn good cocktails. This book offers fans a never-before-seen look at the brand. From the earliest days in a one-room distillery and the hustle behind its first-ever bottles to copper caps lining shelves around the world, Tito’s Handmade Vodka is sharing its journey with the fans, friends, artists, mixologists, and every other person who’s been there along the way. Spirit in a Bottle is packed with helpful lessons for the home cocktail enthusiast, including vodka infusions, at-home mixology, bar cart basics, and seasonal ingredients, plus, of course, a wide selection of cocktail recipes
Publication date – May 7th 2024 – Get the book here
Uncle Nearest owner Fawn Weaver delves into the life and legacy of Nearest Green, the African American distilling genius who played a pivotal role in the creation of the whiskey that bears Jack Daniel’s name. Through extensive research, personal interviews, and the uncovering of long-buried documents, Weaver brings to light the remarkable bond between Nearest Green and Jack Daniel and Daniel’s concerted efforts during his lifetime to ensure Green’s legacy would not be forgotten. As Weaver intertwines her present-day quest with the historical threads of Green and Daniel’s lives, she pays homage to their legacy and spearheads the creation of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey.
Publication date – June 18th 2024 – Get the book here
Freezer Door Cocktails: 75 Cocktails That Are Ready When You Are
Sure, you could muddle this and stir that, or you could batch your favourite drinks directly in the bottle and keep them in your freezer door till you’re ready. Simply pour off enough of a standard liquor bottle to create just enough space to add the other ingredients needed to produce a full bottle of your desired cocktail. Store the bottle in the freezer, and you have chilled cocktails ready whenever, and cover a bit of science while you’re at it. This fun, creative collection of 75 ready-to-pour beverages will run through how to make everything from a Negroni and Margarita to a Cosmopolitan and Espresso Martini while also explaining how the freezing point of alcohol changes based on the volume of water, juice, and/or sweetener added, so you can craft your own recipes.
Publication date – July 2nd 2024 – Get the book here
